Means for lubricating flexible packings in cylinders



C. P. CASS.

MEANS FOR LUBRICATING FLEXIBLE PACKINGS IN CYLINDERS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 16. I9I9.

1 63,497. Patented Nov. 30, 1920.

' I 'l\\\ I N I I "Q I 0 5 Q x A Q 7 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHRISTOPHER P. CASS, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented NOV, 30, 19.20.

Application filed December 16. 1919. Serial No. 345,392.

To all whom may concern Be it known that I, Cmnsrornnu P. CASS, a citizen or? the United States, residing at St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have in vented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Lubricating Flexible Paclrings in Cylinders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to cylinders in which pistons carrying leather or other flexible packings are adapted to reciprocate audit has for its primary object the provi sion of a simple means for maintaining proper lubrication of the leather without the necessity of removing the cylinder head and withdrawing the piston. More particularly it has for its object the provision of means in the cylinder wall located at some point opposite to which the leather packing on the piston. may be conveniently moved and held, whereby lubricant may be forced into the interior of the cylinder and against the leather packing. A further object of the invention is the provision of means of the character described which may be used. by any person at any time, even While the machine is in constant operation, without the necessity of sending the machine to the shop or requiring the services of a mechanic. These, together with such other objects as are incident to my invention and which may appear hereinafter, I obtain by means of a construction which I have illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

The figure is a longitudinal section through a cylinder and piston with my in vention embodied therein. The cylinder and piston arrangement I have shown is of a design which is suitable for use inconnection with the operation of street car doors or steps, but it will, of course, be understood that the invention is in no wise limited to this particular field. It can be applied to any cylinder in which a leather packing used such, for example, as brake cylinders and other devices of a similar character. The p ston 1 is adapted to reaprocate in the cylinder 2 and by means of its toothed engagement with the quadrant 3 is adapted to rotate the shaft 4 first in one direction and then in the opposite direction for the accomplishment of any desired purpose. At each end the piston 1 is provided with a cup leather 5 held in place by means of a cup washer 6 and a nut 7 which is threaded upon the stem 8 projecting from the piston. Pressure is introduced or exhausted, as the case may be, through the passage 9 formed partly in the cylinder wall and partly in thecylinder heads.

At each end of the cylinder opposite the.

point to which the packing leather 5 comes at the limit of travel of the piston, I have counterbored the cylinder for the purpose of introducing a bushing 11. These bushings are provided with a series of radially disposed holes or perforations 12 which communicate with an annular groove 13 in the cylinder wall and this groove is connected to the exterior of the cylinder by means of the passage 14. The outer end of this any desired form of grease gun applied.

After the necessary quantity of lubricant has been introduced, the grease gun may. be Withdrawn and the plug replaced.

It will thus be seen that by the use of the means which I have provided the leather may be most conveniently maintained in proper condition for the giving of maximum efiiciency. To those familiar with the art, the advantages of my improvement will be readily understood. Negligence or in convenience of access are constantly causing devices of this character to operate noisily and inefliciently, but with my improvement, accessibility of the piston parts is not an essential and negligence is greatly obviated because of the convenience and despatch with which the leather may be lubricated.

I have illustrated my invention as it might conveniently be applied to cylinders already built and in use, but it will be readily understood that in constructing a cylinder which was designed to embody my invention, the bushing 11 might be dispensed with and simply a cored annular groove or passage be provided for the lubricant and the perforations drilled from this passage to the interior of the cylinder. This would be entirely a question of manufacture.

I claim:

l. A device for lubricating a flexible piston packing comprising in combination an annular passage in the cylinder, perforations extending from said passage to the in terior of the cylinder, and means for supplying lubricant to said passage and forcing it through said perforations to the pack ing.

A device for lubricating flexible piston packing comprising in combination an annular groove in the cylinder wall, a bushing closing said groove, the inner face of which is iiush with the inner Wall of the cylinder, perforations in the bushing ex-,

tending from the groove to the interior of the cylinder, and means for supplying lubricant to said groove and forcing it through said perforations to the packing.

3. A device or lubrlcating a flexible pis- 'ton packing comprising in combination a piston having a flexible packing, a plurality of lubricating passages opening into the in terior of the cylinder, and means for supplying lubricant under pressure to the packing through said passages.

4. A device for lubricating a flexible pis ton packing comprising in combination a piston having a flexible packing, a plurality of lubricating passages opening into the interior of the cylinder, and a common means for supplying lubricant under pressure to the packing through said passages.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name CHRISTOPHER P. oAss. 

